Keki Bakery Ube cheesecake : I purchased this "bouncy" ube Japanese cheesecake from Keki bakery in K-town after having tried their classic cheesecake at their Chinatown shop. Stated to serve 3-4, it easily could serve 5-6 if you're mainly in for a small taste. At $15, it's a great deal for the quality; combining the best of a rich cheesecake with a light and airy texture that I'd describe as more fluffy than bouncy (though we ate it the day after it was purchased, so the texture might have changed a bit). Its intense pu... (read more)4.0/5.0

Dominique Ansel Bakery Peach Creme Fraiche Mousse Cake: This teardrop-shaped dessert consists of a lemon cake with peach compote, all covered in a thin shard of pink-striped chocolate. It had a sharp, acidic flavor, and technically, the cake was soft and moist. But I couldn't help but wonder what exactly this dessert was trying to accomplish. While I hadn't had anything like it before, I wouldn't say it was particularly satisfying; it exists in its own world that's not quite delicious, yet not really challenging enough to stay in my memory. 3.0/5.0

Gjusta Lemon Cake: This slice of lemon cake from Gjusta in LA is thickly sliced and has a decently tart flavor. Texturally, though, it eats a bit dry. In the landscape of lemon desserts, this one falls somewhere in the middle - not bad, but not particularly notable. 3.0/5.0

Gjusta Miso date cookie: Gjusta, the sister bakery of Gjelina in Venice, LA, is apparently popular enough to not need any signage. It’s unlabeled storefront conceals a narrow counter and dining area, where patrons wait for a variety of pastries (cakes, cookies, croissants) and hot and cold prepared items (pizza, salads, pâtés). Luckily, their express line was relatively short, which meant purchasing this miso date cookie took just a few minutes. The sizable cookie contains a single date at its center. Its texture is... (read more)4.0/5.0